SMASHING MAGAZINE

U.S. customs officers stopped a woman on her way into the country because she was wearing a jewel-encrusted beetle as a brooch - and it was alive.

The woman was entering America from Mexico when she was stopped at a border outpost in Brownsville, Texas.

The live insect - which is studded with gemstones and gold - was fastened to her sweater by a gold chain and safety pin but was able to wander on her jumper.

She declared the live insect to officials and said she had bought it in Mexico as a brooch but it was immediately confiscated by pest control.Officials refused to allow her to keep the live jewellery because she did not have the correct documents.

Because the woman had declared the insect correctly, she was not handed any fine or penalty.

The beetle was sent to the Plant Inspection Station at Los Indios International Bridge for further identification.Moving live plant pests in any form into or out of the U.S. has to be declared to customs.

Beetles are a popular subject for jewellery, going back for centuries. It is thought to be relatively common in Mexico for live ones to be decorated in this way.

Jackie Kennedy was rumoured to have been given a living brooch when she was America's first lady.

Crushed beneath her bloodied face, are the garish paintings which she paid for with her life.

But Fabienne Geismar was not one of 4,500 prisoners to escape after the Haiti earthquake broke Port-au-Prince prison apart. Fabienne had survived the quake which devastated the family home but died in its aftermath, laying face down in her own blood beside the rubble and the pictures she was said to have been stealing.

In recent days the city has become so used to the sight of dead bodies that she hardly drew a glance as she lay crumpled, clad in a pink and grey top and pink skirt, he flimsy shoes still resting on her feet.Her father Osam, sister Samantha and brother Jeff had watched helpless as she was cut down by a bullet in the ruins of Marthely Seeiee Street.

Later they returned with a cart to collect her body. Her mother Armante stood wailing, barely able to stand as she was supported by relatives.As a small crowd watched, her 52-year-old father lifted Fabienne from the ground and then laid her on a cart before breaking down in tears.

It is unclear whether police deliberately aimed at looters, who had targeted properties destroyed in the earthquake, or had been firing warning shots over their heads.

Fears of widespread violence and looting have eased in Haiti as U.S. troops provided security for water and food aid deliveries, and thousands of displaced Haitians heeded the government's advice to seek shelter outside Port-au-Prince

While military escorts still are needed to deliver relief supplies, the United Nations said security problems were mainly in areas considered "high risk" before the quake.

Images of gore that would make an axe murderer proud are not the sort of stuff you would expect to find on the ocean floor, but with open brain corals that’s exactly what you get. Less gruesomely known as crater corals or pacific rose corals, open brain corals are a favourite with aquarium owners but might also prove popular with slasher movie fanatics or proponents of bad brain surgery, if only they knew. Take a gander and see what you think.

Definitely something on the brain: Red Wellsophyllia open brain coral

Tough, colourful and captivating, open or folded brain corals are stony specimens characterised by two or three growths of expanding fleshy tissue known as polyps projecting from their base. The way their skeletons form miniature valleys with separate, pinched walls is what makes them appear so delightfully brain-like to human perception.

Pulled to the ground by a web of ropes, a baby elephant learns the hard way how to become a circus performer.

In case the youngster doesn't want to co-operate, a trainer stands by with one of the sharp metal hooks used to manage the animals.

The disturbing picture is one of a series taken by a former trainer which campaigners say reveal the brutal reality of how elephants are prepared for circus work. The pictures show them being dragged to the ground by ropes, chained side by side, pinned down by a hook in the back of the neck and checked by cattleprods.

Peta - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - say the elephants are also separated from their mothers by force. The photographs are being used to spearhead a campaign to tighten up laws on the use of wild beasts in circuses.

The Government here is considering legislation to impose stricter conditions on their care, training and performance, particularly where young are concerned. The pictures were taken in the U.S. by handler Sammy Haddock, who worked for the Ringling Bros' Barnum and Bailey Circus until 2005.

They were taken more than seven years ago - but Peta says such methods are widespread, and 'effectively amount to the torture of defenceless animals'. Haddock died last month and asked Peta to use his pictures to ease his conscience about the kind of treatment he administered during eight years at the Ringling centre in Florida.

These two brown bears couldn't have picked a more stunning setting to engage in a spot of rough and tumble.

In front of a spectacular, snow topped mountain range in Alaska, the giant animals took each other to task, with one even taking a crafty low side-swipe.

Despite one of the bears holding a definite weight advantage, the pair grappled and exchanged blows.But after 15 minutes of hard combat they seemed happy to call it a draw and went hunting for salmon in a nearby river.

The incredible duel was captured on camera by amateur photographer Scott Cromwell during a special bear spotting trip.

He flew for six hours from Homer, Alaska, to Hallow Bay, which is part of the Katmai National Park, also in Alaska, just to see the majestic animals.Scott, 38, said: 'The guide and pilot flew us over a known area and we spotted a few bears so we landed on the beach a few hundred yards away from them.

'We walked up to about 250ft from them and stood and watched from a dry part of the river bed.

'They instantly quit fishing for salmon in the river and ran out in the open in between us and the mountains.

'The smaller bear came out into the open first but then the bigger one galloped after it making a lot of noise.'They circled around the whole large area a couple of times and then started wrestling right in front of us - we were no more than 100ft away.

'I couldn't believe what was happening - we had only just got off the plane and this all seemed to have happened instantly.'

Television repairman Scott said the bears battled for 15 minutes before getting bored or hungry and returning to hunting for salmon.

He added: 'I was leaning over the whole time while shooting, trying to get as close to the ground as possible without including any grass in the foreground.

'It truly was the most enjoyable 15 minutes of my life. In fact the whole trip was the best six hours of my life.

A two-year-old is seriously ill after being admitted to hospital with 50 sewing needles inside him.

Doctors in Brazil believe the needles were deliberately pushed into his body through his skin - including 17 discovered in his digestive system.

Police have launched an investigation to discover who carried out the attack amid fears the boy may have been used as part of a sinister black magic ritual.One of the needles perforated the youngster's left lung. Stunned medics admitted him to hospital in Barreiras in the state of Bahma, north east Brazil, after X-rays showed the 50 metal objects in his abdomen, neck, thorax and legs.

Today it emerged the macabre crime may be linked to a bizarre black magic ritual.

The boy, taken to hospital by a relative on Sunday with stomach pains, has not been named.

His mother, maid Marma Souza Santos, has told police she does not know who is responsible and said his gran used to look after her son while she was out at work.

But she has reportedly claimed in a statement the youngster's stepfather may have used the infant in a black magic ritual. He has denied the claims.Police chief Helder Fernandes Santana said: 'We are certain someone introduced the needles because of the position of some of them in the child's body.

'At the moment we don't know who did it.

'It's such a strange situation. We could be looking at attempted murder, a serious assault or some type of revenge attack. We're not ruling anything out at the moment.'

Doctors at West Hospital in Barreiras where the boy is currently being treated, said they would considering trying to remove sewing needles just under the surface of the boy's skin.

But hospital director Luiz Cesar said none of the needles were endangering his life at the moment - and said he may have to live with them inside his body because of the risk involved in removing them.

He added: 'We're certain the boy didn't swallow the needles of his own accord.

'If he did, they would be in his gastrointestinal tract.

'I've never seen a case of its kind.

'Our priority at the moment is the boy's lung which was perforated by one of the needles.

'Fortunately his life is not in danger.' The boy's dad Gessivaldo Alves added: 'We have faith in God that he is going to get better.'

Silvio Berlusconi lost nearly a pint of blood after he was punched to the ground by an attacker yesterday.

The 73-year-old Italian prime minister is facing a second night in hospital after doctors admitted his injuries were worse than they had thought.

Mr Berlusconi also suffered a broken nose and lost two teeth during the assault as he signed autographs at the end of a stormy political rally in Milan yesterday. He spent a quiet, if painful, night in hospital last night and is having trouble eating, his personal doctor said today.

He is also suffering from a severe headache.

However his friends are rallying around him - a spokesman said French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian President Vladimir Putin have both already phoned to commiserate with Mr Berlusconi.

His doctor, Alberto Zangrillo, said the premier's injuries would take at least 15 days to heal.

Berlusconi, a popular but divisive figure, said 'I'm fine, I'm fine' as he arrived at the hospital yesterday.

He reportedly asked to be brought newspapers upon waking up, no doubt wanting to read coverage of the assault on the front pages.

Berlusconi was attacked when a man stepped from the crowd, dodging bodyguards, before smashing the politician in the face - apparently while clutching a model of the city's Duomo cathedral in his clenched fist.

The prime minister told an Italian TV presenter visiting him in hospital that he considered it ‘miraculous’ not to have lost an eye in the attack.

‘This is truly a bad day for Italy, and it's the duty of all the political forces to ensure that Italy does not go back to the years of violence,’ Gianfranco Fini, Berlusconi's top conservative ally, said.The incident triggered an outpouring of solidarity for Berlusconi from allies and critics, just as the prime minister seeks to regain political momentum after a bruising year battling mounting legal troubles and sex scandals.

Allies blamed the assault on an atmosphere of hatred swirling around the billionaire businessman.‘What they've done to Berlusconi is an act of terrorism,’ Umberto Bossi, head of the far-right Northern League and a close Berlusconi ally, said.

‘An oppressive climate has been felt for some time and what's happened today is a worrying sign.’

The attacker, named last night as Massimo Tartaglia, was arrested by police and taken away.Just hours after the attack, Facebook groups had sprung up hailing or attacking Tartaglia, including one fan site with more than 32,000 fans that labelled him a man with "lots of courage".

Television footage showed a stunned Mr Berlusconi with blood around his mouth as he was lifted to his feet by aides.

He was bundled into his official car but immediately got out, apparently in an effort to show he was not badly injured. After looking out into the crowd, the aides pulled him back into the vehicle.

As police officers swamped the rally, Mr Berlusconi was driven to a nearby hospital where he was given a CAT scan.

Doctors said that as he was being treated on a stretcher, he had told them: 'I'm fine, I'm fine, don't worry about me.'

There was no immediate suggestion of a motive for the attack. Police sources said that 42-year-old Tartaglia, from Milan, was not known as a political activist and had no criminal convictions apart from minor driving offences.

They added, however, that he had been 'receiving medical attention for mental problems' for ten years.

Before the attack, Mr Berlusconi had delivered a fiery speech to supporters of his People of Freedom party in the square in front of the cathedral. Scores of opponents had also gathered to try to drown out his speech.

Defence minister Ignazio La Russa who witnessed the attack said: 'I saw blood coming from the premier's nose and mouth. He was then pushed into the car by his bodyguards and driven away.

'He was actually trying to step on the edge of the door so that he could stand and wave to the crowds but his bodyguards would not let him do it, they pushed him inside.The attacker was held immediately by the police and it's a good job he was because he risked being lynched by the crowd. There would have been just pieces of him left.'

The attack came after a speech that had been billed as politically significant but revealed no big policy shift.

Berlusconi launched a familiar tirade against the left and rattled off a list of government achievements, in a characteristically feisty performance aimed at shoring up his standing and ratings.

It is the second time that Mr Berlusconi has been attacked in public. In 2004 he was hit over the head with a camera tripod while strolling in Rome.

Last night's incident came despite reports in November security had been tightened-around him following fears that he was being targeted by Left-wing terrorists.

Mr Berlusconi has been at the centre of controversy for much of the year. In April it emerged that he had attended the 18th birthday party of a lingerie model, giving her a £5,400 gold and diamond necklace.

It prompted his long-suffering wife Veronica Lario, 53, to announce she was divorcing him because she could no longer be with a man who ' associated with minors and was ill'.

In June it emerged that escort girls had been among women invited to parties at his official residences. One claimed to have slept with him.

He has also been at the centre of a political storm after an immunity law his government introduced was overturned, meaning he could be put on trail for corruption.

In recent weeks there have been claims he was in the Mafia, allegations he has dismissed as lies.

An opinion poll published on Saturday indicated his popularity had fallen four percentage points to just over 50 percent as Italians fretted that his legal entanglements could distract him from government duties.

When we think of spiders, us Brits tends to imagine the black and brown creatures that thrive in dry corners and give us a fright when we least expect it.

Australians, the other hand, are privy to much more exciting sights, as these pictures of the 'peacock spider' prove.

While it may be eight-legged like every other spider, this one has an impressive mating ritual to attract a partner.It shows off a rainbow of colours to impress nearby females by fanning out two brightly patterned flaps at the back of his body.

Displaying its spectrum of shades in an attempt to attract the attention of the less vibrant brown spiders, the creature reveals hues of orange, yellow, green and blue.

Also known as a Moratus Vilans, amateur photographer Jurgen Otto originally spotted the colourful creature in the wild.

This is the moment a baby deer makes a real error of judgement and jumps into a zoo enclosure containing a pair of hungry lions.

Desperate visitors watched in horror as the young whitetail deer literally leapt into the lions' den at the National Zoo in Washington, U.S.

The crowd urged the tiny fawn to run as a lioness chased after the creature and trapped it beneath one of its paws.

But the plucky deer managed to shake off its pursuers, race away before leaping into a moat which surrounded the lion enclosure.

Cheering spectators then watched as keepers managed to the two lionesses back into their pens while they rescued the deer from the water.

Witness Rob Ephraim said the deer ran between people at the railing of the low wall and jumped into the sunken enclosure with the lions.He said: 'It was running and it leaped, it must have had a death wish.'

Tragically the animal suffered serious wounds to its stomach and had to be put down.

The National Zoo is part of Rock Creek Park, home to many deer and other wild or 'feral' animals including raccoons and chipmunks.Zoo spokeswoman Pamela Baker-Massan said it was the first time a deer had managed to get inside one of the carnivore's enclosures.

She said that the fawn had suffered serious injuries that it would not have been able to recover from.